I Am A Rooster Advocate

I have become quite the advocate for roosters’ rights in the Town of Barnstable. As you know, I went to the Barnstable Agricultural Commission meeting a few weeks ago, and boy, have I been busy entertaining all sorts of questions. I have been contacted by both the Barnstable Patriot and the Barnstable Enterprise for interviews. I have also had the pleasure of meeting many people along the way that also have a love for roosters.

I’m not quite sure how I got in the middle of this in the first place. I have been giving that question a lot of thought lately. I think that I have my answer now. Interestingly enough, before my life as a Cape Codder, a mother of two and a lover of all things chicken, I lived in a large city on the West Coast. I was in the fast paced world of academic medicine. I wore many hats as an educator, lecturer, professor, mentor, advocate and researcher in my field of nursing.

As a little girl, I was always a nurturer. I was concerned when I saw people being bullied. I was awkward as a child and a move across town and then the country did not help. I was shy, quiet and an observer in life. In eighth grade, I got hit with a double whammy; large eighties style glasses and braces! I toed the line. I was never one for my parents to worry about. I was a good student and I stayed out of trouble. I was a child who always looked out for others and wanted so much to please my parents.

Interestingly, I was drawn to nursing. I attended one of the top schools in the country and there I emerged from my shell. I owe my education much credit for the person that I metamorphosed into today. I became a strong voice, confident, articulate and able to advocate for the patients against the toughest meanest old-school physicians while caring for my patients. I was no longer shy or quiet. In fact, I was quite the opposite when it came to advocating for those patients who could not do it for themselves. I advocated for gang members, homeless, drug addicts, abused elderly and children. I was a voice for all and I was not afraid what anyone else would think. They were all that mattered in their times of need.

Our move to be closer to family and seek a quieter slower paced life for our children, lead us to life on Cape Cod. I traded in nursing for motherhood and sat back, relaxed and began to enjoy watching my children grow.

Chocolate, our rooster, is a huge part of our chicken family and we all adore him. I think that my nursing background kicked in when we were told that there was a possibility that we could not keep him. He did not have a voice. He could not go to the town and tell them that he was just doing what came natural. He needed a voice and I sprang to action. Here we are today, with another article slated to come out that I was just interviewed for last week. I answered so many basic questions that the reporter asked as he tried to grasp a basic understanding of chickens. I felt proud to speak on behalf of these amazing creatures. I am their voice. I am their advocate. I understand them and I hope to help others understand them too.